St. Clair CICE students receive awards for role in nationally feted project
A group of about 60 St. Clair College students received awards Friday during a ceremony that honoured those enrolled in the Community Integration Through Co-operative Education program.
The awards recognized the group's participation in an Enactus project that won national recognition.
When COVID-19 prevented CICE students from completing their field placements because of workplace restrictions, a partnership was developed that allowed the students to team up with the college's Enactus team and work on a project called Endure.
The CICE program provides individuals with developmental disabilities and other significant learning challenges the opportunity to experience college life, pursue a post-secondary education and develop skills to help them prepare for employment.
The CICE students provided Enactus students with valuable feedback on Endure's financial literacy modules designed to help individuals with developmental disabilities manage money, find employment online and develop skills for online interviews.
The project placed second in the Enactus Canada National CWB Financial Education Challenge held in May.
First-year and second-year CICE students were included in the project and received their awards on Friday, said program coordinator Stephanie Defranceschi.
“We took an unfortunate situation of the pandemic and turned this into a partnership that will continue beyond the pandemic,” she said. “Our CICE program looks forward to continuing to work with our Enactus group of students.”
Each of the students received sweatshirts and gift cards during Friday's ceremony to help them with their financial skills, Defranceschi said.